Method and system for annotating documents using an independent annotation repository

ABSTRACT

A method and system for generating workflow messages based on adding annotations to a file repository or database independent of an original document that they annotate. By separately storing the annotations in a searchable annotation repository, original documents can be preserved unchanged while still providing the ability to comment on the original document. By generating workflow messages, a system can track who has reviewed a document, whose proposed changes and/or comments require action by another person, and if everyone has reviewed the documents within the time constraints established.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 09/575,712 filed on Jul. 26, 2000, the entire contents of whichare herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a document annotation system andmore particularly to a document management system that enables (1)documents (containing one or a combination of images and text) to beannotated with searchable text that is stored independently from theunderlying scanned documents and (2) the annotation of those documentsto cause workflow rules to be triggered.

[0004] 2. Discussion of the Background

[0005] Various software packages have been built to manage computergenerated and/or scanned documents. One such software package is AdobeAcrobat by Abode Systems that enables Portable Document Format (PDF)files to be written. (A more limited functionality PDF reader is alsoavailable under the tradename Abode Acrobat Reader.) In addition to the“native” features that are available, Adobe Acrobat can be augmentedwith additional functionality using “plug-ins” that conform to anApplication Programming Interface (API).

[0006] Various texts have been written describing some of the featuresof Adobe Acrobat. Examples of such texts include: “PDF Printing andWorkflow,” by Frank J. Romano, published by Prentice Hall (Oct. 20,1998), ISBN: 013020837X; Adobe Acrobat Forms Set, By Adobe DeveloperTechnologies, Published by Adobe Systems Inc., Published: January 2000,ISBN: DM10003157; Adobe Acrobat Interapplication CommunicationDocumentation Set, By Adobe Developer Technologies, Published by AdobeSystems Inc., Date Published: February 2000, ISBN: DM10002537; PortableDocument Format Reference Manual, Version 1.3, by Adobe Systems; AcrobatSoftware Development Kit (SDK), Version 4.05; Adobe Acrobat Forms DataFormat (FDF) Toolkit SDK; and Abode Technical Notes 5167, 5182, 5190,5191, 5164, 5165, 5183, 5157, 5158, 5151, 5181, 5193, 5194, 5162, 5160,5192, 5400, 5172, 5150, and 5159, each revised November, 2000. Each ofthose references is incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.As shown in FIG. 6.1 of Portable Document Format Reference Manual,Version 1.3, Adobe Acrobat enables annotations to be stored within a PDFfile such that they may be retrieved and/or searched later. An exemplaryannotation is shown in FIG. 1. However, the embedding of thoseannotations within the file also prevents them from being easilysearched by non-Adobe Acrobat applications.

[0007] In addition, database software packages are also available fromvarious manufacturers. Such software includes, but is not limited to,Lotus Notes, SQL Server from Microsoft Corporation, and Oracle8i fromOracle Corporation. Such software enables data to be stored in andretrieved from the corresponding databases.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide at least oneof a text overlay and a graphic overlay for a displayable computerdocument (e.g., a PDF file) where the overlay and the image are storedseparately and the addition, modification or deletion of parts of theoverlay cause workflow rules to be triggered.

[0009] This object and other advantages of the present invention areaddressed by at least one computer system in which information of afirst type (e.g., a textual or graphic annotation) is stored in a firstlocation and a document of a second type (e.g., a scanned image or acomputer generated file) is stored in a second location. In oneembodiment, the first and second locations are different files and/ordatabases of a single computer. Alternately, in another embodiment, thefirst and second locations are file systems of two different computersconnected via a network.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of theattendant advantages thereof will become readily apparent with referenceto the following detailed description, particularly when considered inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0011]FIG. 1 is a screen capture of an annotation applied to a PortableDocument Format (PDF) file;

[0012]FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a computer for providing theservices of the present invention;

[0013]FIG. 3A is a block diagram of a first embodiment of the presentinvention in which original documents and their annotations are storedon a single computer;

[0014]FIG. 3B is a block diagram of a second embodiment of the presentinvention in which original documents and their annotations are storedon a separate computers connected via a network;

[0015]FIG. 4A is a block diagram showing a graphical user interface(GUI) displaying an original document;

[0016]FIG. 4B is a block diagram showing the GUI of FIG. 4A displaying aset of annotations;

[0017]FIG. 4C is a block diagram showing the GUI of FIG. 4A displayingan original document overlaid with the annotations of FIG. 4B;

[0018]FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing that a first computer canperform a search of remotely stored annotations;

[0019]FIG. 6 is a screen capture showing an exemplary database structurefor storing annotations external to an original document;

[0020]FIG. 7 is a screen capture showing an exemplary structure forstoring rules triggered by the creation of a new annotation or themodification of an existing annotation;

[0021]FIG. 8A is a screen capture showing an exemplary user interfacefor selecting at least one review of a set of reviews accessible by auser;

[0022]FIG. 8B is a screen capture showing the exemplary user interfaceof FIG. 8A expanded by using the details arrow;

[0023]FIG. 9A is a screen capture showing an exemplary user interface,including a native toolbar and a supplemental toolbar, for annotating anelectronic document;

[0024]FIG. 9B is a screen capture showing an annotation of theelectronic document of FIG. 9A;

[0025]FIG. 10 is a screen capture showing the status of reviews of a setof reviews of FIG. 8A that are accessible by a user;

[0026]FIG. 11 is a screen capture showing the options for a set ofreviews of FIG. 8A that are accessible by a user;

[0027]FIG. 12 is a screen capture showing the review information,including a list of reviewers, for the first document of FIG. 8A;

[0028]FIG. 13A is a screen capture of an exemplary interface forcreating a review of a document specified in the attach file box;

[0029]FIG. 13B is a screen capture of an exemplary interface forcreating a review of a document specified via the browse dialog box;

[0030]FIG. 14A is a screen capture of an exemplary interface showing thepatent review options of a document selected in FIG. 13A or 13B, usingone reviewer at a time;

[0031]FIG. 14B is a screen capture of an exemplary interface showing theproposal review options of a document selected in FIG. 13A or 13B, usingserial review, one reviewer at a time;

[0032]FIG. 15 is a screen capture of an exemplary interface showing theproposal review options of a document selected in FIG. 13A or 13B, usingparallel review between all reviewers simultaneously without a specifiedtime limit;

[0033]FIG. 16 is a screen capture of an exemplary interface showing theproposal review options of a document selected in FIG. 13A or 13B, usingparallel review between all reviewers with a specified enter time;

[0034]FIG. 17 is a screen capture of an exemplary interface showing therules triggered by a category, action or stamp;

[0035]FIG. 18A is a screen capture of an annotation added to a document;

[0036]FIG. 18B is a screen capture of a follow-up to a the annotation ofFIG. 18A; and

[0037]FIG. 19 is a block diagram of interactions between a database forstoring form fields and a form in which fields can be populated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0038] Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numeralsdesignate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views,FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a computer system for managingannotations for documents, either locally or using a wide area network(e.g., the Internet). A computer 100 implements the method of thepresent invention, wherein the computer housing 102 houses a motherboard104 which contains a CPU 106, memory 108 (e.g., DRAM, ROM, EPROM,EEPROM, SRAM, SDRAM, and Flash RAM), and other optional special purposelogic devices (e.g., ASICs) or configurable logic devices (e.g., GAL andreprogrammable FPGA). The computer 100 also includes plural inputdevices, (e.g., a keyboard 122 and mouse 124), and a display card 110for controlling monitor 120. In addition, the computer system 100further includes a floppy disk drive 114; other removable media devices(e.g., compact disc 119, tape, and removable magneto-optical media (notshown)); and a hard disk 112, or other fixed, high density media drives,connected using an appropriate device bus (e.g., a SCSI bus, an EnhancedIDE bus, or a Ultra DMA bus). Also connected to the same device bus oranother device bus, the computer 100 may additionally include a compactdisc reader 118, a compact disc reader/writer unit (not shown) or acompact disc jukebox (not shown). Although compact disc 119 is shown ina CD caddy, the compact disc 119 can be inserted directly into CD-ROMdrives that do not require caddies. In addition, a printer (not shown)also provides printed listings of annotations stored externally to anoriginal document.

[0039] As stated above, the system includes at least one computerreadable medium. Examples of computer readable media are compact discs119, hard disks 112, floppy disks, tape, magneto-optical disks, PROMs(EPROM, EEPROM, Flash EPROM), DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, etc. Stored on any oneor on a combination of computer readable media, the present inventionincludes software for controlling both the hardware of the computer 100and for enabling the computer 100 to interact with a human user. Suchsoftware may include, but is not limited to, device drivers, operatingsystems and user applications, such as development tools. Such computerreadable media further includes the computer program product of thepresent invention for storing and managing annotations for originaldocuments external to those original documents. The computer codedevices of the present invention can be any interpreted or executablecode mechanism, including but not limited to scripts (including ActiveServer pages), interpreters, dynamic link libraries, Java classes, andcomplete executable programs. These computer code devices may run oneither one of, or on a combination of, a client and a server computer.Information on providing Web services is provided in the followingreferences which are incorporated herein by reference: (1) Visual StudioCore Reference Set, by Microsoft Press, (2) Visual InterDev 6.0: WebTechnologies Reference, by Microsoft Press, (3) Professional ActiveServer Pages 2.0 by Francis et al., published by WROX Press Ltd., (4)Oracle PL/SQL Programming by Scott Urman, Published: March 1996, (5)Hitchhikers Guide to Visual Basic and SQL Server: with CD-ROM, byWilliam Vaughn, Published: May 1997, (6) Using Microsoft SQL Server 6.5(Special Edition) by Stephen Wynkoop, Published: March 1997, and (7)Advanced PowerBuilder 6 Techniques by Ramesh Chandak.

[0040] Turning now to FIG. 3A, a stand-alone computer 100 stores in oneor more separate file systems both original documents and annotations.As shown in FIGS. 4A-4C, using a graphical user interface (GUI) of thecomputer 100, a user can combine the separately stored originaldocuments and annotations. An advantage of such a separation is that theoriginal document need not be altered directly. This enables theoriginal document to be stored as a read-only file. Moreover, theannotations can be made immutable, i.e., write-once with multiple reads,but they cannot be overwritten. This speeds up access to the annotationsand removes the need for complicated version control logic. Anotheradvantage of this distributed annotations model is that it is possibleto annotate a document that is not in the same system as the annotatoror annotations. The annotations manager need only be pointed to thelocation of the document (e.g., by using a URL of the PDF ) such thatthe manager can read the document in—even if the manager cannot write tothe file.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 5, the computer code devices of the computer 100control the GUI to determine what portion of which page(s) of a documentis being displayed and what annotations need to be superimposed on thatportion. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, a Webbrowser acts as the graphical user interface using an annotationsplug-in (e.g., an Adobe Acrobat/Reader plug-in). In another embodiment,Lotus Notes acts as a primary GUI, with a plug-in modifying the standardinterface of Lotus Notes. Plug-ins can be implemented in a fashion knownto those of ordinary skill in the art (e.g., as a computer code devicewritten as a C++ programming language dynamic linked library). Theplug-in (annotations manager) determines what portion (e.g., describedas a bounding box) of what page is currently being displayed using anApplication Program Interface (API) associated with Adobe Acrobat. Theannotation manager than queries an annotation repository (e.g., adatabase) to determine if any annotations are present in that area.

[0042] By way of an example, turning to FIG. 6, the annotation managerqueries a database to determine the annotations on page 1. As a result,the database returns two records indicating that annotations with UIDsequal to 1 and 2 are present on page 1. The annotation manager can thenparse out the x and y locations of those annotations (e.g., from thex_pos and y_pos fields, respectively), and superimpose the correspondingtext if the corresponding portions of the page are displayed. In analternate embodiment of annotations of varying sizes, the database maylikewise contain an additional coordinate pair (e.g., (x_extent,y_extent)) that specifies, in conjunction with the base coordinate(e.g., (x_pos, y_pos)) the bounds of where the annotation is displayed.In one such embodiment, all coordinates are expressed in nativecoordinates of a PDF file.

[0043] As would be evident to one of ordinary skill in the art from thepresent disclosure, the database of FIG. 6 could likewise contain afield that distinguishes between textual and graphical annotations. Insuch an embodiment, the “Note” field could be re-used to include thefilename or Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of the corresponding graphicto be displayed at the specified location. In yet another embodiment, atleast one graphic is associated with each text annotation such that theuser is shown an icon (or other image) corresponding to a minimizedannotation. Upon activating the minimized icon (e.g., by clicking on itwith a mouse), the text annotation is displayed, either superimposed onthe original document or in a separate window of the GUI.

[0044] Returning to FIG. 3B, in an alternate embodiment of the presentinvention, the annotations and the original documents are not stored ona single machine. Instead, a first computer 100A stores the originaldocuments, and a second computer 100B stores the annotations (e.g., in aLotus Notes database). The annotations and original documents can becombined using the network connecting the two computers 100A and 100B.

[0045] As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, theannotations may also include drawn annotations (e.g., using free-hand orpre-defined shapes) and highlighting. Highlighting provides the illusionof changing the color of the underlying original document while stillbeing able to see the original document through the highlighting. Aswith all annotations of the present invention, highlighting is donewithout changing the contents of the original document.

[0046] In order to create a new text annotation, the text tool of theannotation manager displays (or “pops up”) a typing area in which theannotation can be typed. That annotation is then written back to theannotation repository. The annotations may be written back for storagein any form specified by the communication protocol between theannotation manager and the annotation repository. In one embodiment, theannotation is written back in eXtended Markup Language (XML) to enableflexible processing of the annotation by at least one third-partyprogram.

[0047] In order to modify an existing text annotation, the annotationmanager requests from the annotation repository an existing annotationspecified by a user (through the GUI). The retrieved annotation is thendisplayed as an overlay or in a separate window.

[0048] Creation of a new annotation and/or the modification of anexisting annotation can cause the annotation manager to performprocessing specified in a set of processing rules. For example, as shownin FIG. 7 in pseudo rules and pseudo commands, the deletion of anannotation always triggers storage of an archival copy of theannotation. This prevents annotations from inadvertently becomingirretrievable. Similarly, the “Update” rule of FIG. 7 causes an e-mailto be sent to “MNOP” for each new annotation that “XYZ” makes. Such aprocedure may be required where an architect or professional engineerneeds to approve changes to a blueprint. Similarly, a senior associateor partner may need to approve all annotations to documents that havebeen included in a privilege log. (Additional rule processing isexplained in more detail with reference to FIG. 17, below.)

[0049] As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, therules and/or commands may be written in any language supported by theannotation repository. For example, the addition of a record to a LotusNotes database can be used to trigger the condition checking and rulesprocessing described above. In this way, the condition checking codeneed not be rewritten. Instead, the Lotus Notes services can be re-used.

[0050] As would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, thecommunication between the annotation manager and the annotationrepository may either be implicit (e.g., using database calls) orexplicit (e.g., using TCP/IP sockets or using a Java communicationsinterface).

[0051] Additional details of the present invention are discussed hereinusing actual captured computer screen images. FIG. 8A is a screencapture showing an exemplary user interface for selecting at least onereview of a set of reviews accessible by a user. (As would beappreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, to get to such aninterface, a user is required to authenticate himself/herself to theremote information server (i.e., to the Web server in the exemplaryembodiment). Such authentication may be way of a username and password,a certificate, or any other authentication technique.) Accordingly, theuser “mcasey” has logged into the system and has access to threedifferent documents that can be selected by links 800A, 800B, and 800C.As shown, each document is illustrated as having a title, an originator,a creation date, a list of reviewers, and an end-date. As would beevident to one of ordinary skill in the art, other informationcategories about documents could also be provided.

[0052] In one embodiment, each user interface also includes a “details”arrow 805A and 805B that allows a user to select additional/expandeddetails about any one of the documents. Once a corresponding arrow (805Aor 805B) has been selected, the corresponding arrow is rotated, and theadditional detail is shown. FIG. 8B is a screen capture showing theexemplary user interface of FIG. 8A expanded by using the details arrow.In one embodiment of the present invention, such detail is providedusing Dynamic HTML (DHTML). In an alternate embodiment of the presentinvention, such detail is provided using JavaScript. In yet an alternateembodiment of the present invention, such detail is provided using acombination of DHTML and JavaScript.

[0053]FIG. 9A is a screen capture showing an exemplary user interface,including a native toolbar 900 and a supplemental toolbar 910, forannotating an electronic document. In one embodiment of the presentinvention, to achieve the dual toolbars, Adobe Acrobat acts as a firstplug-in to a browser (e.g., the Microsoft browser as illustrated), andthen the system of the present invention acts as a second plug-in toAdobe Acrobat. In one embodiment of the present invention, a secondlog-in sequence is used to authenticate the second plug-in (i.e., theplug-in to Acrobat) to the information server of database serverproviding the annotations.

[0054] The supplemental toolbar 910 includes icons 920A through 920G for(A) refreshing the annotations, (B) filtering annotations, (C) insertingnew annotations, (D) draw a rectangle, (E) highlight text or graphics,(F) strikeout text or graphics, and (G) stamp a document. Alsoillustrated is a text annotation 925. By selecting that annotation(e.g., by double clicking on it), the text of the annotation is broughtup (e.g., in a dialog box as shown in FIG. 9B). In one embodiment of thepresent invention, it is possible to add text to the annotation bytyping in the text box 950 and selecting the OK button 960. Preferably,the added text is stored as its own record, thereby enabling theoriginal record not to have to be locked during the add operation. Thisreduces contention for individual records and speeds the additionprocess.

[0055]FIG. 10 is a screen capture showing the status of reviews of a setof reviews of FIG. 8A that are accessible by a user. None of thedocuments are scheduled for future review, and each document wassubmitted at a different time.

[0056]FIG. 11 is a screen capture showing the options for a set ofreviews of FIG. 8A that are accessible by a user. The categories 1100,actions 1105, and stamps 1110 change depending on the review type 1120being specified. For example, the Patent Application type includes a“claim” category that is not applicable to the proposal and marketing/PRtypes since proposals and marketing materials do not contain claims.

[0057] Once the information of FIG. 11 is entered into a long-termrepository (e.g., database on the information server), it can be queriedto determine a current status of the review options. FIG. 12 is a screencapture showing the review information, including a list of reviewers,for the first document of FIG. 8A.

[0058]FIG. 13A is a screen capture of an exemplary interface forcreating a review of a document. By specifying a file name in the“attach file” box 1300, an electronic document is selected to have thespecified attributes. In an alternate embodiment of the presentinvention, as shown in FIG. 13B, the file name specified by selectingthe browse button 1305 which brings up the browse dialog box 1320. Usingeither interface, the file type should be specified (e.g., using radiobuttons 1310).

[0059] Once a review has been specified for a document, changes in thereview options can be made by selecting a hyperlink to the document orby using the filename box 1440 (FIG. 14A). The review types 1120 of FIG.11 are converted to radio buttons (e.g., 1405A and 1405B) that can beselected as shown in FIG. 14A. In the illustrated embodiment of the userinterface, for the patent application review type 1405A, the user hasselected, via drop down box 1400, to perform a serial review using onereviewer at a time. To “encourage” the reviewer to complete the reviewwithin the period set in the time area 1415, the drop down box 1405establishes that the e-mail reminders are to be sent until the reviewhas been completed. This prevents one user from holding up the entirereview process. The reviewer can then specify other options for theproposal review type 1405B, as shown in FIG. 14B.

[0060] In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, as shown inFIG. 15, the type of review drop-down box 1400 enables the user toselect to use parallel review between all reviewers simultaneously.Although a time limit could be specified, the user has selected, usingdrop-down box 1405, to specify that there is no time limit on whenreviews must be completed. However, had the user selected, usingdrop-down box 1405, that there is a time limit, then an additional“Parallel review enter date” field 1420 would appear to enable the userto select that date.

[0061] Once a reviewer no longer wishes to submit additionalannotations, the user notifies the system that he/she has finishedreviewing a specified document. Such a notification can be made using aplug-in, on a separate web page, or by e-mail. Upon receipt of such anotification, the system records that the review is complete and removesthe reviewer from the list of people to get reminders. In oneembodiment, the submission of a review also triggers a message to thedocument “owner” or coordinator to notify the owner that one fewerreview is outstanding. The message may include one or a combination ofthe names/user ids of (1) those people who have submitted reviews and(2) those people who are still expected to submit a review but have not.

[0062] As discussed above, FIG. 17 is a screen capture of an exemplaryinterface showing the rules triggered by a category, action or stamp. Inthe illustrated example, an e-mail notification is sent to“mcasey@notarealdomainname.com” when a legal issue is added to thedocument or a follow-up is added.

[0063]FIG. 18A is a screen capture of a general annotation added to adocument. It was subsequently followed up by an additional annotation asshown in FIG. 18B.

[0064] In light of the movement of data from database to documents andback again, the present invention also includes a method, system andcomputer program product for populating forms with data from a database,as shown in FIG. 19. Using the same technique as described above, bysubmitting the form using the second plug-in, the second plug-in canparse the form fields to store their corresponding values into thedatabase. Similarly, a form pulled up can be populated by the byquerying the database for previously stored values.

[0065] Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the presentinvention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is thereforeto be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, theinvention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically describedherein.

1. A computer program product, comprising: a computer storage medium anda computer program code mechanism embedded in the computer storagemedium for causing a computer to separately manage an original documentand annotations for the original document, the computer program codemechanism comprising: a first computer code device configured to receivean original document stored in a first file repository; a secondcomputer code device configured to create at least one of a textannotation and a graphical annotation for the original document; a thirdcomputer code device configured to overlay the original document and theat least one of a text annotation and a graphical annotation withoutchanging a contents of the original document; and a fourth computer codedevice configured to send the at least one of a text annotation and agraphical annotation to a second file repository containing a workflowmessage trigger activated by adding the at least one of a textannotation and a graphical annotation to a second file repository. 2.The computer program product as claimed in claim 1, wherein the secondfile repository comprises a fifth computer code device configured to addthe at least one of a text annotation and a graphical annotation to adatabase.
 3. The computer program product as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe first through fourth computer code devices comprise a plug-in to amarkup language browser.
 4. The computer program product as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the original document comprises an Adobe Acrobatdocument.
 5. The computer program product as claimed in claim 1, furthercomprising a fifth computer code device configured to authenticate auser to at least one of the first and second file repositories.
 6. Thecomputer program product as claimed in claim 1, wherein the firstcomputer code device comprises a fifth computer code device configuredto receive a form document illustrating at least one form field; andwherein the second computer code device comprises a sixth computer codedevice configured to create a text annotation by extracting a contentsof the at least one form field.
 7. The computer program product asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the second computer code device comprises afifth computer code device configured to specify a correspondingcategory for the at least one of a text annotation and a graphicalannotation.
 8. The computer program product as claimed in claim 7,further comprising a sixth computer code device configured to select atrigger type for execution based on the category specified for the atleast one of a text annotation and a graphical annotation.
 9. Acomputer-implemented method comprising: (a) receiving an originaldocument stored in a first file repository; (b) creating at least one ofa text annotation and a graphical annotation for the original document;(c) overlaying the original document and the at least one of a textannotation and a graphical annotation without changing a contents of theoriginal document; and (d) sending the at least one of a text annotationand a graphical annotation to a second file repository containing aworkflow message trigger activated by adding the at least one of a textannotation and a graphical annotation to a second file repository. 10.The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the second file repositorycomprises a database.
 11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein thesteps (a)-(d) are performed by a plug-in to a markup language browser.12. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the original documentcomprises an Adobe Acrobat document.
 13. The method as claimed in claim9, further comprising authenticating a user to at least one of the firstand second file repositories.
 14. The method as claimed in claim 9,wherein the step (a) comprises receiving a form document illustrating atleast one form field; and wherein the step (b) comprises creating a textannotation by extracting a contents of the at least one form field. 15.The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the step (b) comprisesspecifying a corresponding category for the at least one of a textannotation and a graphical annotation.
 16. The method as claimed inclaim 15, further comprising selecting a trigger type for executionbased on the category specified for the at least one of a textannotation and a graphical annotation.
 17. The method as claimed inclaim 15, further comprising triggering a category-specific triggerbased on the category specified for the at least one of a textannotation and a graphical annotation.
 18. A system for separatelymanaging an original document and annotations for the original document,the system comprising: a receiver configured to receive an originaldocument stored in a first file repository; an input device configuredto create at least one of a text annotation and a graphical annotationfor the original document; an overlay circuit configured to overlay theoriginal document and the at least one of a text annotation and agraphical annotation without changing a contents of the originaldocument; and a transmitter configured to send the at least one of atext annotation and a graphical annotation to a second file repositorycontaining a workflow message trigger activated by adding the at leastone of a text annotation and a graphical annotation to a second filerepository.